Cover for conduits



Dec. 20, 1927. 1,653,403

E. F. McCUE cova Fon coNDuIfrs Filed oct. 19. 192e GOGO 7 ,400000000 L Q 5 O @9.02923 j?? 10 i5k i M Z0 m Mrz- L M m /71 I U U O Qo OOO o l/vvE/vron.- :TQ g O @SOOO d/d O O A Tom/Er.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD F. MUCUE, 0F MAMARONECK, NEW YORK.

COVER FOB CONDUITS.

Application led October 19, 1926. Serial No. 142,770.

This invention has reference to means for locking and retaining in place a closure, cover or cap for tubular openings of any character, and particularly relates to means for removably holding caps or closures on a fresh air inlet.

My invention is adapted for application to strainers of various kinds, water mams and pipes, air and other conduits.

Among the objects of my lnventlon may be noted the following: to provide a cover, closure or seal for conduits or .inlet pipes which is simple in form, economical to produce, strong and durable, and mcludes a simple, strong, durable and economical means for holding the cover, cap o r closure removably to the conduit; to providea device or means, yof the character noted 1n the foregoing, which may act -either as a seal, a drain, a strainer or an inlet, and which eliminates all obstructions, projections or protuberances on the outside of the condut or the surface of the closureg-to provide, 1n a device such as set forth in the foregoing, a means which can be readily manipulated from the outside of the closure and the free lend of the conduit for holding the closure rigidly and firmly in position, and yet is adapted to be quickly released for removal by a simple implement; and tov provide means, such as outlined in the foregoing, enabling the use and utiliza-tion of,scra p pieces of pipe, or sections of plpe which would ordinarily be thrown away or discarded as useless, and which can be quickly and easily applied for closure or capping purposes.

With the foregoing objects in view, and others which will be detailed during the course of this description, my invention consists in the parts, features, elements and combinations thereof hereinafter described and claimed.

:in order that my invention may be clearly understood, l have provided drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a view showing a conduit in section with my closure and holding means applied to the free end thereof, the parts also being in section;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the holding means set to prevent the removal of the closure; and v Figure 3 is a view showing the parts of Figures 1 and 2 in transverse sectional elevation on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a conduit of any desirable character. It may be a drain-pipe, sewer-pipe, airinlet or manhole framing, and it may be full section or merely scrap section. The outer end yof the pipe is ordinarily enlarged or flanged for strength; but, I have shown my invention applied to a waste or scrap section, which would ordinarily be discarded or thrown away, and is, therefore, devoid of such flange or enlargement. The closure, of my invention, has its circumferential margin 3 set flush on the end of the conduit so as to present a smooth, obstructionless surface. Preferably', for strength, the closure is arched within the marginal portion 3, and its solid center 4 is provided with an aperture outwardly ared for the reception of a similarly formed head 5 of a long screw 6 which passes through the aperture and is the manipulating means for lthe locking members. The closure maybe perforated, as at 7 or may be solid, according to the use to which my invention is adapted.

An angular bracket is provided which has a hat, central portion 8 extended into resilient legs 9 arranged at an obtuse angle to the central portion. The terminals of thev resilient legs are bent at an obtuse angle to the latter and are made extensive, as at 10, for the engagement of an operating and locking bar 11. The terminalsl 10 are made sutliciently extensive to enable the bar 11 to be shifted by the screw 6 so as to release the terminals without losing engagement with the bar whenl the latter isshifted to. release the closure, the resilience of the legs 9 causing the terminals 10 to normally clamp the bar and maintain engagement therewith. rlhe screw 6 extends through an aperture 12 in the fiat, central portion of the angular bracket, and also extends throughl a threaded aperture in the locking bar 11.

By turning the screw, the locking bar 11 is caused to travel along the terminals 10 and into engagement with the inner surfaces of the resilient legs 9, causing them to yflex and be distendedby the wedging action between the bar and the legs. This action drives the flat terminals 10 into engagement with the inner surface of the conduit 1 and also forces the central, flat portion 8 into engagement with the inner surface of the closure, and also causes the head of the screw 5 to sink within theflared aperture in the solid part of the closure. Thus, as shown in Figure 2, the closure, screw, bracket and bar, by the simple manipulation of the screw, are forced firmly and rigidly into cooperative engagement, and the flat terminals 10 of the bracket are driven firmly against the inner surface of the conduit. It requires only a few turns of the screw to either lock or release the closure. When the closure is released, insertion of an implement, either in one of the apertures or u-nder the head of the screw, coupled with an outward pull, will enable the cover to be removed together with the-entire locking device.

While yI have shown the closure apertured, it may be made solid; and the marginal portion 3 of the closure may be grooved to cooperate with a corresponding portion at the end of the conduit, this forming a seal. Also, the bracket may be provided with several more legs and the locking bar conc structed to engage and flex them all simultaneously; but, no change need be made in either the closure or screw, the latter having the smooth portion 13 adjacent the head to permit the bracket to freely slide toward and from the closure.

Having thus described my invention, whaty I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat-- ent is:

1. Means for closing or covering conduits comprising a cap having a central, smoothand bracket, and also having its threaded I portion cooperating with the aperture of the bar whereby, w ien the screw is turned, all the parts may be forced into intimate relation for the functional purpose described. `2. Means for closing conduits comprising a cap having a central aperture, in combination with a bracket havinga flat central portion and resilient legs at an obtuse angle thereto, said legs having each a terminal portion extending inwardly at an obtuse angle thereto, a loc ting bar adapted to operate between the legs and to be normally held by the terminals thereof when in released position, and a screw passing freely through the cap and bracket and engaging the bar to shift the latter along t-he legs of the bracket to lock all the parts together and to the conduit.

EDWARD F. MCCUE. 

